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View Full Version : Straight hair that's actually wavy?



Rufflebutt
August 16th, 2012, 07:23 AM
My hair is 1b/1c. It has been my whole life, I believe. But on here I keep reading about girls who think that their hair is for the most part straight but then find out otherwise.

Is there a way to find out if my hair is truly 1b/c or if it's actually wavy? Even when I had virgin hair, it still looked straight. I normally don't touch it when it's wet and I've air-dried my whole life. I know it has a slight wave but that's about it. It's not really defined enough for me to call it wavy.

Is there still a possibility that I got my hair type wrong?

Simone_Fatale
August 16th, 2012, 07:25 AM
I'm not sure, but I don't think you're wrong. If you never comb it when wet and let it air dry, and it's still straight with a slight wave... That's what you got.

Kizuna
August 16th, 2012, 07:34 AM
I've heard from people, that when they change their washing routine it might change. At the swedish forum there seem to have been a lot of people who tought they had straight hair, but when they started with CO it got curlier. Mine didn't get any curiler though.

Lilli
August 16th, 2012, 07:35 AM
I think arguing over fine distinctions of hair typing is kinda pointless, so...

But anyway, my hair looks straight to most people, especially the top layer, but the under layers have flattened spirals that I cannot straighten just by combing or brushing. It will straighten a bit if I sleep on it, but it will never be stick-straight. You can see some pics in my album, but it is even wavier now than when those were taken.

When I was younger, it was stick-straight, but having four children and the associated hormones gave it much more texture. I think that is why many straight-haired women find out that they are wavy - it kinda creeps up on you, and for me at least, has gotten more wavy with each pregnancy.

It also matters what you use on your hair. Cones straighten my waves somewhat; well-moisturizing conditioner makes it wavier. It also matters if I comb it or not. If I comb it, the top layer straightens out more. I imagine if I stopped combing and really protected my hair all the time, the top layer would grow in wavy, too, but I'm not about to do that.

Madora
August 16th, 2012, 07:44 AM
My hair is 1b/1c. It has been my whole life, I believe. But on here I keep reading about girls who think that their hair is for the most part straight but then find out otherwise.

Is there a way to find out if my hair is truly 1b/c or if it's actually wavy? Even when I had virgin hair, it still looked straight. I normally don't touch it when it's wet and I've air-dried my whole life. I know it has a slight wave but that's about it. It's not really defined enough for me to call it wavy.

Is there still a possibility that I got my hair type wrong?

This might help:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=227

Apparently, it is easier to determine your hair type if your hair is free of all buildup, etc., which would mean clarifying...if you want to go as far as that. If you do, be sure and follow the clarifying with a conditioning treatment (keep it simple).

florenonite
August 16th, 2012, 07:53 AM
If you're on the cusp between straight and wavy a lot of the difference is in treatment. Waves and curls flourish when they're well-moisturised and generally don't do well with brushing/combing, which is why many people who switch to CO and start finger-combing after getting out of the shower (often merely in the name of healthier hair) find they have waves they didn't realise were there.

brave
August 16th, 2012, 08:46 AM
This might help:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=227

Apparently, it is easier to determine your hair type if your hair is free of all buildup, etc., which would mean clarifying...if you want to go as far as that. If you do, be sure and follow the clarifying with a conditioning treatment (keep it simple).

This is an alternative hair-typing process (http://healthycurls.net/2011/01/06/quick-and-easy-steps-to-discovering-your-natural-texture/) that isn't maybe as accurate as the LHC one, but works better to quickly figure out exactly what curl potential you have. Scrunching and loads of conditioner will bring out hesitant waves; clarifying and air-drying without touching may let you know that waves are lurking but definitely won't enhance them.

rtree721
August 16th, 2012, 09:19 AM
All my life I thought I had straight hair, but now I know it all depends on my routine. If I wet my hair and don't comb it or touch it until is dries, then it is wavy. If i comb it, then it is mostly straight.

rtree721
August 16th, 2012, 09:22 AM
Sorry I posted before I was done.... it sounds like your hair can go either way depending on what you do to it, like me. Do you want to bring out the waviness?

florenonite
August 16th, 2012, 11:21 AM
This is an alternative hair-typing process (http://healthycurls.net/2011/01/06/quick-and-easy-steps-to-discovering-your-natural-texture/) that isn't maybe as accurate as the LHC one, but works better to quickly figure out exactly what curl potential you have. Scrunching and loads of conditioner will bring out hesitant waves; clarifying and air-drying without touching may let you know that waves are lurking but definitely won't enhance them.

Ooh, I'll have to try that. I've tried to enhance my waves before and always ended up combing my hair out because all I got was frizz. The extensive use of conditioner here should help.

Delila
August 16th, 2012, 11:22 AM
I didn't realize how much waviness I had until I started air drying my hair (no blowdryer) without touching it.

I don't have enough body in my hair to benefit from the curly-type methods, but respecting the fact that my hair does have waves (and a few lurking curls) does help.

Dang3rousB3auty
August 16th, 2012, 01:47 PM
I think some people just have straight hair. Maybe a lot have curls or waves that were hidden by products weighing it down but some of us just don't have waves. I think I am one of them. I clarify my hair, dont touch it at all and my hair is still straight! I don't think any amount of wishing and hoping or products is going to bring out any curls or waves, unless I braid or curl it.

Rinna
August 17th, 2012, 03:39 PM
My mom's hair was straight her entire life, until developing a pronounced wave this year out of the blue. I guess hair can just suddenly change.